James Arness was born in Minneapolis. His parents were businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler. His father's ancestry was Norwegian; his mother's was German. The family name had been A… See more

Although Arness wanted to be a naval fighter pilot, he was concerned his poor eyesight would bar him. However, it was his 6-ft, 7-in (2.01 m) frame that ended his chances because the height limit for aviators wa… See more

After his discharge from the service, Arness began his entertainment career as a radio announcer at Minneapolis station WLOL in 1945.
Determined to find work in films, Arness hitchhiked… See more